Lifestyle

Another mega mall for Fyshwick?

As a libertarian my heart thrills to see laissez faire economics driving retail planning in the ACT.

Let the chips fall where they may! Let the businesses that can’t attract custom fall by the wayside!

So imagine my joy to see a Canberra Times report that Harry Notaras Investments is planning to build another enourmous shopping mall out in Fyshwick!

Property developers Harry Notaras Investments have lodged a building application for the centre with the ACT Planning and Land Authority.

The development, described as a bulky goods retail centre, is on the corner of Iron Knob and Beaconsfield streets, next to the Direct Factory Outlet shopping complex. It will have 11 shopfronts spread over 7094sqm of floorspace and open-air and basement parking for more than 250 cars.

If approved, the complex will be the second development on the 24ha EpiCentre industrial estate.

It’s so nice to see the dead hand of measured planning consigned to the dustbin of history. We’re not competent to do planning anyway.

I went out to Brand Depot this weekend for the first time in a while and was pleasantly suprised. There seems to be many more new shops there. The last time I went there it was like a ghost town.

They must have opened very recently. I went out there about three weeks ago on a Saturday, which you’d think would be a peak shopping period and many shops were closed. Some look like they couldn’t be bothered opening that day but others were empty and gone. I could have easily counted at least half a dozen closed outlets.

I don’t think DFO is doing that well either. I’ve been there a few times on weekends and each time there were very few people around.

I really don’t think that Fyshwick can take another large shopping area. I always wonder about what happens to the small business owners that spend a fortune on fit out, stock, etc and then don’t make it past the first or second year. I wouldn’t like to be one of them
🙁

Does the ACT Government have planning control over the airport land? No. Should the airport have to comply with ACT Government planning requirements that do not apply to it? No. Does the ACT Government have a responsibility to provide appropriate infrastructure within areas subject to ACT planning regulations? Yes. Is the area surrounding the airport subject to ACT planning regulations? Yes.

As far as Commonwealth departments being located at Gungahlin, I guess the people making the decisions are voting with their feet. Chin up buddy, I’m sure someone will end up doing something wrong and end up betting relocated out your way.

… the airport is on federal land and therefore can choose to ignore all local planning legislation.

Yes that’s right the airport does come under the Commonwealth jurisdiction. So whining about local, irrelevant, ACT planning laws would just be a waste of time. The airport fully complies with, and is governed by, the planning requirements of the Commonwealth government. For your argument to be even remotely relevant you’d have to also hold that ACT planning laws should also apply in other jurisdictions like NSW or Queensland … sounds stupid, but that’s exactly what you’re saying.

You can moan about infrastructure cost all you like, but the reality is that the ACT government has a responsibility to provide that infrastructure whether it wants to or not. The people working, shopping or commuting out at the airport are by and large ACT residents so they all benefit from the investment in infrastructure made by the ACT government.

Well what can I say about this sort of twisted reasoning? I’m happy to debate logical arguments CK. Let me know when you come up with some.

On Brand Depot v Marketplace: don’t think I suggested anything of the like. OTOH the displacement of officeworkers away from our town centre has most definitely impacted the viability of our retail businesses.

A can agree with that, but I think the lack of office space also has a large part to play. We have nothing that even remotely compares to the office buildings in Snow Town.

I agree Gungahlin Al (#14). Two days ago I saw a 4WD driving past DFO with “Annaconda” printed on the spare wheel cover. I drew the conclusion that Annaconda is scouting the area with a view to open an outlet, well, I’m hoping anyway.

… the airport is on federal land and therefore can choose to ignore all local planning legislation.

Yes that’s right the airport does come under the Commonwealth jurisdiction. So whining about local, irrelevant, ACT planning laws would just be a waste of time. The airport fully complies with, and is governed by, the planning requirements of the Commonwealth government. For your argument to be even remotely relevant you’d have to also hold that ACT planning laws should also apply in other jurisdictions like NSW or Queensland … sounds stupid, but that’s exactly what you’re saying.

You can moan about infrastructure cost all you like, but the reality is that the ACT government has a responsibility to provide that infrastructure whether it wants to or not. The people working, shopping or commuting out at the airport are by and large ACT residents so they all benefit from the investment in infrastructure made by the ACT government.

As far as the location of Commonwealth Government departments is concerned, well I guess Gungahlin will become a destination when we run out of other places to build on. Seems the Department of Defence would rather live out near Bungendore than South Yass. Even Tuggeranong is apparently more appealing than Gungahlin.

I haven’t talked with Phil Knackstedt from Vinta Group about their project since the first half os the year (they also own the Woolies building), but when I last talked with him, it was still on hold until the market turns. They are intending to put in some (much needed) temporary footpaths around November. They were intending to review possibility of restarting the project every few months.

On Brand Depot v Marketplace: don’t think I suggested anything of the like. OTOH the displacement of officeworkers away from our town centre has most definitely impacted the viability of our retail businesses.

I don’t think you can blame Brand Depot for the state of the Gungahlin Marketplace and vice versa as they are targeting different markets. Brand Depot is trying to convince people that it is a factory style outlet for clothing and homewares and a place to drop off the kids while shopping where as the Marketplace is a hub for cafe’s, restaurants and general retail like Big W, Woolies, Coles, ALDI. I think the marketplace serves its purpose well to Gungahlin residents. Maybe when the Gungahlin Homemaker centre opens up, we will have even less of a need for Brand Depot, but at the moment, that seems to be going nowhere fast. I think development of that site has stopped all together. Maybe you can clarify the status of that project.

Catch up CK: the airport is on federal land and therefore can choose to ignore all local planning legislation. And they have. To the great detriment of Canberra’s planning, of the Burley Griffin satellite city concept that should be serving us far better than it now does, and to great cost to ACT ratepayers/taxpayers who have to carry the additional infrastructure costs incurred by the airport’s out-of-place development.

This screw-up brought to you courtesy of the amazingly loose contracts of sale granted all airport buyers by the Howard Government, and the same government allowing department after department to relocate out there. All they had to do was starve the airport of tenants, and it would not have been anything like as big an issue.

And you have been on RA long enough to know that I’m the last person to parrot a government line on an issue.

Peter: I agree, and to that end, possibly our biggest achievement over the last 3 years has been to get 40 hectares of land that was designated for more townhouses rezoned to CZ2 Business Park. So when the tenants do come, they will have somewhere to go. I believe it should be Defence to kick it off, as we have and will continue to have more of Defence workers in DHA housing across Gungahlin. It makes sense – you know it does. CSIRO? Worthy of contemplation…